ANC Elective Conference 2017: Who is Gwede Mantashe?

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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA  JUNE 29: African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe during a media briefing regarding the upcoming partys national policy conference on June 29, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Gwede Mantashe is up for the nomination for the National Chairperson of the ANC. He is taking on Nathi Mthethwa in the race for the role. But what do we need to know about the man battling for a spot in the ANC’s top six?

Who is Gwede Mantashe?

History in politics

He’s been the ANC Secretary General for the last 10 years, but now he’s looking to assume some new responsibilities. He was the driving force behind creating the National Union of Mineworkers, and very much shares Cyril Ramaphosa’s strong trade unionist values.

Whose slate is Mantashe on?

He’s been on Cyril Ramaphosa’s slate from day one. The pair are very amicable with each other, and compliment their ideologies nicely.

The good…

Well versed in mining knowledge, Mantashe may be able to turn the tide on Mosebenzi Zwane’s widely-panned mine reforms. He’s also very welcoming of media and the press and doesn’t shy away from huge issues. He had to deliver the news Thabo Mbeki was resigning in 2008.

The bad…

He has very much flip-flopped on the issue of Jacob Zuma. He’s got progressively more vocal in his criticism this year, but it seems to have aligned just in time to flank Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidency. Funny, that.

He’s also had a very public falling out with Julius Malema, whilst both were still part of the ANC. Malema called on Gwede Mantashe to resign from his position, but instead, it would be Juju who left the party.

The ugly…

Technically, Sisulu started it by asking “where were you during the struggle for liberation?” – Ouch. Mantashe hit back by saying Sisulu didn’t know the difference between ‘struggle and exile’. It blew over, but showed tensions between the comrades.